Self-cleaning and metering liquid spray valve structure



Aug. 11, 1959 s. KNAPP 2,899,108

SELF-CLEANING AND METERING LIQUID SPRAY VALVE STRUCTURE Filed April 1'7,1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5g 2 AZ 5 a2 2? 2 9 15: Knapp Sts UniteSELF-CLEANING AND METERING LIQUID SPRAY VALVE STRUCTURE Robert S. Knapp,St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Knapp- Monarch Company, a corporation 'ofMissouri The present invention relates generally to a spray valvestructure, and particularly to spray valve structures of the typeadapted to be mounted on a canister of liquid under gas pressure forspraying the liquid in the form of an aerosol. The present disclosureconstitutes a continuation-in-part of my earlier filed applications,Serial No. 416,224, filed March 15, 1954, and Serial No. 552,- 365,filed December 12, 1955, both now abandoned.

In customary aerosol valve constructions, a narrowly constricted flowsection generally occurs at some point along the flow path from theliquid reservoir to the valve orifice. The nature of the liquidsubstances sprayed by such devices is often such that clogging occurs atsome point of narrow constriction or at the valve orifice itself.

It is a primary object of the present invention, therefore, to provide aspray valve structure wherein a slidable cleaning pin is moved throughthe valve orifice in a novel and automatic manner along an arcuate pathupon each actuation of the spraying device.

It is another object of this invention to provide novel means formounting a valve cleaning pin in structures of this type whereby liftingof the regulating valve from its valve seat simultaneously effectscleaning of the flow passage and valve orifice.

It is a further object of this invention to provide metering valve meansautomatically actuated and controlled by a valve cleaning pin of theaforesaid type, whereby a regulated metered quantity of aerosol will bedispensed and the main valve will be cleaned upon each actuationthereof.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of myself-cleaning liquid spray valve structure whereby the objectscontemplated are obtained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointedout in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a valve assembly and container with acutaway portion showing the syphon tube extending to the bottom of thecontainer;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view in side elevation of a spraying valveconstructed in accordance with the present invention, and showing thevalve in a closed flow position;

Figure 2a is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially asindicated along the line 2a-2a in Figure 2;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the valve structure shownin Figure 2, showing the valve in an open flow position;

Figure 3a is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially asindicated along the line 3a3a in Figure 3.

Figures 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views, similar to Figure 2, showinga further embodiment of the present invention incorporating an automaticmetering valve feature.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 1 to 3 of numeral 18 todesignate a sheet metal container or a canister adapted to hold a liquidand a gas under presatent ice sure. The contents of such a canister mayconsist of insecticide, germicide, deodorant, paint or other similarliquids to be sprayed in the form of an aerosol. A space is providedabove the surface of the liquid for Freon or other gas under pressurefor displacing the liquid upwardly through a syphon tube 12. My valvestructure is substantially similar to that shown in Kochner Patent2,600,661, except for the particular mounting of a cleaning pin in novelmanner, which will be hereinafter described in detail. Reference may behad to the aforesaid patent for a detailed description of variousstructural features relating to valve constructions of the general typeillustrated by the present drawing, but not described in detail herein.

The valve includes a collar 14 suitably secured in a top opening of thecanister 10. The collar 14 is internally screw-threaded to receive avalve stem 16 having a threaded end 17 and a reduced diameter extension18. A packing washer and support means 19 serves to seal the valve stem16 relative to the collar 14. A hinged bracket 20 and suitableconnecting washers serve to back the packing washer 19.

The bracket 20 provides a pair of upwardly extending ears 26 upon whicha channel-shaped lever 22 is pivotally carried by means of a pin '24. Acoil spring 27 provides laterally extending free ends which engage thelever 22 and the hinged bracket 20, respectively.

A valve sleeve 28 surrounds the extension 18 of the valve stem 16. Thesleeve 28 is formed with an axial bore having enlarged counterbores atits opposite ends. A sealing washer 30 is disposed within the lowercounterbore and serves to secure the sleeve in axially slidable relationto the extension 18. A sealing disc 32 is carried in fixed relationwithin the upper counterbore of the sleeve 28, and cooperates with avalve seat 33 at the terminal end of the valve stem extension 18. A capportion or body shank 34 is fixedly secured to the upper end of thesleeve 28 and provides a means for attaching the sleeve 28 to the lever22.

It will be apparent that movement of the valve sleeve 28 upwardly aboutthe valve stem extension 18, from the closed valve position shown inFigure 2 to the open valve position shown in Figure 3, will effect avalving operation for dispensing liquid in an aerosol spray. An annularflow passage 36 communicates with the valve seat 33 to permit flow ofgas and liquid outwardly through a discharge port 37.

The valve stem extension 18 is formed with a longitudinally extendingtubular flow passage 40 of restricted diameter. A cleaning pin 42 isadapted to extend through the flow passage 40. The relative diameters ofthe pin 42 and the passage 40 are predetermined to provide a restrictedflow passage therebetween (indicated at 43 in Figure 2a) of suitablecross-sectional area for effecting a metering of fluid flow whendispensed as desired.

The sealing disc 32 is preferably formed of relatively hard rubber orthe like, and receives centrally therethrough the upper end of thecleaning pin 42. The sealing disc 32 tightly engages the cleaning pin 42and fixedly holds it in perpendicularly downwardly extending relationtherefrom. The upper end of the cleaning pin 42 terminates in anenlarged head portion 44- which abuts against the top surface of thesealing disc 32 and is received within a mating recess 45 formed in theshank 34. In this manner, the cleaning pin 42 is fixedly secured inperpendicularly aligned relation relative to the sealing disc 32 and theshank 34, whereby raising and lowering of the shank 34 by actuation ofthe lever 22 serves also to effect raising and lowering of the pin 42within the flow passage 48.

In the practical operation of the construction shown, a lever lock 22ais removed by movement toward the right '3 as seen 'in'Figure' 2, andmanual pressure is exerted downwa'r'dly uponth'e' lever'22 so asto'efiect'itsrotation'in' a clockwise direction about the pivot 24. Suchdepression .of the lever 22 is opposed by the coil spring 27 which isoutwardly. biased so as to provide a sufiicientforcein' a counterclo'ckwisedirection to counteract the pressure of fluid withinthecanister tendingto'unse'at the. sealing 'disc32.

As clearly shown by the dot-dashdirectional line A- A of Figure 3 of thedrawing, "the valve .head movesin'an arcuate path, about the laterallydisplaced'pivot point provided bythe pin "24, .when elevated 'by'manualdepressing of the lever '22. It is a highly important aspect of thepresent invention that the path of valve'head'raising and lowering is anarcuate one rather than oneof axialalignment relative .to the'valve seat33. The sealing washer 30, whichserves to secure the valve head forsliding movementalong theextension 18, alsoservesat 'the same time topermit arcuately lateral shifting of the valve sleeve 28 relative to'theextension 18. It is necessary that the sealing washer 30 be formed ofsuitable're- -silient material-so as to maintain relatively tightsliding contact with. theextensionlS, whileibeing sulficientlycompressible to enable angular orientation of 'the'valve sleeve" 28relative to the extension 18.

It will be apparent, therefore,.that the sealing'disc"32 movesprogressively laterally to one side of the valve seat 33 in an arcuatepath as it is raised'therefrom 'during valve opening movement. Thischaracteristic laterally arcuate'shifting of the.disc 32 relative to'the seat"33 cooperates with the "particular fixed mounting oft'the.cleaning pin42 for movement with the valve head so as to achieve arocking or arcuate movement of "the pin through the valve seat duringopening and closing movement of the valve. For this. purpose, it isessential that .the cleaning pin 42 be tightly gripped by'thesealingidisc "32 in substantially rigid perpendicular relation.

As clearly seen by acomparison' of Figures 2a and 3a of the drawing, therestricted flow passage'43 is normally .of-substantially circularannular. form, with. the pin42 concentrically disposed therein,whenthevalve is closed, and'the passage 43 is of relativelycrescent'shape with the pin 42 angularly disposed against the side.oflthe .passage toward the'pivot"24, when the valve. is opened.

It will be apparent 'thatthe lateral shifting of the .pini42 as it"wipesthrough-an arcuate path. during valve actuation serves toeffectivelypreventclogging and obstruction of the flow. passage 43. Mereaxialmovement of a straight pin in a straight passage cannot serve to insuresuch'elfective cleaning operation.

It will be apparent that simultaneously with each actuation of thelever"22 for effecting a spraying operation, "the valve head operates toautomatically slide the cleaning pin'42 carried thereby in anarcuatepath Within the 1 tubularflow passage4t) relative. tothe' valveseat".33. 'Each'manually actuated dispensing operation, therefore,causes ithe valve to. perform its own .automatic self-clean-"ingfunction' by'means'of the raising and-lowering of the pin'42.

' Referring now more particularly to Figures .4 and of 'the drawing, Ihaveillustrated a further embodiment of "the present invention. Amajority of the parts illustrated inthisfurther embodiment correspondidentically with certain of'the parts already described in connectionwith the'ernbodimentof Figures 2 and 3. For purposes of sim-"plification,..identical parts in the structure of Figures 4 .and 5 havebeen given the same numbers as-are applied to. the parts previouslydescribed. Only the .difi'erent and additional structural features of.this:secondembodiment will now be described.

-. ..In. the .practical application of awhighq .pressure aerosol device:having the self-cleaning feature of :thepresent -invention, it isfrequently necessary to establish. a. control ..of..the particulanquantityiofi spray. dispensed by. a single .actuationof thepivotedlever-.22. For example; b11116 spraying of certain interior spaces, suchas the introduction of'an insecticide within an aircraft cabin, itishighly advantageous to insure the dispensing of no more than anaccurately predetermined quantity. In this way, the adverse elfects ofexcessive spraying in a confined space are prevented.

Although various complex: metering valves for aerosol .devices have beensuggested in the past, the present in- Iadjacent'the upper end of thetube"50, and the head end T56thereof is received in tight frictionfitting insertion within a modified form of valve stem 16. The internalthreading 'of'the valvestem' 16 ofFigures 2 and 3 has been"eli1'ninatedinrthe valve stem16', and alowermost 'dip portion'162is pro'vided forturning .under. and into the reduced tube neck"54. "The valve.stern16',is otherwise identical with the valve stem 16. In this way,thesyphon .tub'e"50 is maintained in secure and liquidtight relationwithin the valve stem16' and in flow communication with the main valveparts thereabove.

An'enlarged recess 58 is .defined within the valve stem 16'.-above the.head:end 56 ofthe dip tube 50. Anup- \varidly and conically taperedrestriction 60 is provided between the recess"58 and the flow passage40, through which' the cleaning. pin" 42 extends downwardly.

A metering ball valve member64 is' disposed within the valve stem recess58 in supported relation upon a coil spring 66. The lower end of thespring 66 seats upon .the upper annular'rim of the dip tube, head 56,and' the upper .endthereof nestin'gly receives and holds'the ball valve64. The pointed lower-end of the cleaningpin "42' shown in'Figures'Z and3 is blunted to provide an otherwise identical cleaning pin 42forabutting engage- .ment of its lowermost end upon the ball valve-64.

"The length of the pin42' is selected so as to engage .the ball valve 64and move it downwardly. againstthe bias of'the spring 66 inspaced-relation tothe conical restriction'60 when the main valve partsare in closed position, as seen in Figure 4 of the drawing. In this waythe bias of the spring 27 maintains the. main .valve. disc "32 seated,and also maintains the metering valve. partsin assembled relation. Itwill I be apparentithat. a ,flow

passage is provided around the ball valve 64.up.wardly into the flowpassage '40 when the main valve. is. closed.

" When the lever' 22 is depressed to effect dispensing. of

i a spray, the cleaning pin.42 will.be.carried in. its previouslydescribed arcuate pathupwardly. throughthe .flow passage 40, and thesealing 'disc 32 ,will beunseated from thevalvestem. extension. 18,instheusame-manner as described in Figures land 3. At the same. time,the spring :66 .will: beifree. to liftnthet ball valve- 64 upwardly:into

seating engagement within the conical taper 60 which acts asa.valveiseat,thereby-effecting avalved closureuof the upward dispensingflow, as seen in-Figure SrOf lhGdlflW- mg.

It-will abe apparentsthat-rthe length of the-pin-,4Z,n=and therefore thecorresponding position-of themeterdng ball .valve 64,.maybezselected; soasto .-secure-. a single; dis- :charge 'ofafiuid liquid-spray .in-thedesired amountgforz an -.individual..dispensing -burst. -By thus:.controlling the .amountdischarged through a zsingle pressureonthe:lever ..22,..it is possible to aregulate adesired:rtotal'rdosage"l'by selecting the number of times that the lever22 is.;to;be

'hsuccessively depressed i111; any given situation.

The-cooperating;geometryofthe conical restriction 7 :60;andthe-ballvalve .64 serves to.insure;guiding..confine- Inna .4

ment of longitudinal valve movement despite lateral forces which may beexerted upon the valve by the cleaning pin. The employment of a valve ofball shape is of particular importance in insuring eflicient cooperativeactuation of the valve because of the arcuate nature of the path ofreciprocation of the cleaning pin 42. The inherent lateral shifting ofthe free end of the cleaning pin is readily accommodated without risk ofbinding or excessive wear because of the freely rotatable engagementbetween the ball valve 64 and both the conical restriction 60 and thecleaning pin 42.

Through the use of the present invention it is possible to maintaineffective self-cleaning operation and supplemental automatic flowmetering with a highly efficient, reliable and low cost structure.Expensive or hazardous liquids may be carefully dispensed in accuratelypredetermined quantities, thereby insuring uniform application of aspray in each and every operation.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of thisinvention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variouschanges and modifications may be made therein without departing from theinvention and, therefore, it is intended in the appended claims to coverall such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit andscope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. In a spraying valve structure, a valve stem having a flow passagetherethrough terminating at its one end in a valve seat and at its otherend in a port adapted to communicate with a reservoir of liquid underpressure, a sealing valve mounted for movement relative to said valveseat to open and close the valve seat end of said flow passage and beingnormally biased toward said valve seat to close said flow passage, acleaning pin carried by said sealing valve and extending into said flowpassage for reciprocating movement therethrough, a metering valvenormally spaced from the port end of said flow passage when the sealingvalve is normally seated against said valve and also being normallybiased toward the said port end of said flow passage and tending toclose said port, said cleaning pin being greater in length than saidflow passage so as to extend through said port to engage said meteringvalve and maintain it in said spaced relation to said port when saidsealing valve is in its normally closed position, the spacing of saidmetering valve from the port end of said flow passage beingsubstantially equal to the distance of the sealing valve from the valveseat when the sealing valve is in open position, so that upon movementof said sealing valve to an open position said cleaning pin will bewithdrawn from said port and said metering valve will be free formovement to close said port, whereby dispensing flow of liquid, cleaningmovement of said cleaning pin, and metering movement of said meteringvalve are eflected simultaneously.

2. In a spraying valve structure, a valve stem having a restricted fiowpassage therethrough terminating at its one end in a valve seat and atits other end in an enlarged flow passage adapted to communicate with areservoir of liquid under pressure, said enlarged flow passage beingconically narrowed toward said restricted flow passage, a sealing valvemounted for movement relative to said valve seat to open and close saidrestricted flow passage at its valve seat end and being normally biasedtoward said valve seat to close said flow passage, a cleaning pincarried by said sealing valve and extending into said How passage forreciprocating movement therethrough, a

metering valve of generally spherical shape disposed in said enlargedflow passage and being normally spaced from valving engagement with saidflow passage when the sealing valve is normally seated against saidvalve seat and also being normally biased toward said other end of saidrestricted flow passage and tending to effect valving engagement withinsaid conically narrowed portion, said cleaning pin being greater inlength than said restricted flow passage so as to extend into saidconically narrowed portion to engage said metering valve and maintain itin said spaced relation to said conically narrowed portion when saidsealing valve is in its normally closed position, the spacing of saidmetering valve from valving engagement with said conically narrowedportion being substantially equal to the distance of the sealing valvefrom the valve seat when the sealing valve is in open position, so thatupon movement of said sealing valve to an open position said cleaningpin will be withdrawn from said conically narrowed portion and saidmetering valve will be free for movement into valving engagement withinsaid conically narrowed portion, whereby dispensing flow of liquid,cleaning movement of said cleaning pin, and metering movement of saidmetering valve are effected simultaneously.

3. In a spraying valve structure, a valve stem having a flow passagetherethrough terminating at its one end in a discharge valve seat and atits other end in a metering valve seat adapted to communicate with areservoir of liquid under pressure, a sealing valve mounted for movementrelative to said valve seat to open and close said flow passage, anoperating lever secured to said sealing valve and pivotable about apoint laterally spaced from said valve seat, biasing means associatedwith said operating lever and normally biasing said operating lever andsealing valve secured thereto toward said valve seat to close said flowpassage, a cleaning pin carried by said sealing valve and extending intosaid flow passage for reciprocating movement therethrough, said cleaningpin and flow passage being dimensioned so as to provide a metering flowchannel therebetween, whereby actuation of said lever serves to raiseand lower said sealing valve to control flow through said metering flowchannel and to simultaneously reciprocate said cleaning pin along anarcuate path through said flow passage, a metering valve normally biasedtoward said metering valve seat tending to normally close same, saidcleaning pin being greater in length than said flow passage andextending beyond said metering valve seat and engaging said meteringvalve and normally maintaining it in spaced relation to said meteringvalve seat when said sealing valve is in its normally closed position,the spacing of said metering valve from its valve seat beingsubstantially equal to the distance of the sealing valve from its valveseat when the sealing valve is in open position, so that upon manualmovement of said sealing valve in opposition to said biasing means to anopen position said cleaning pin will be withdrawn from projectingthrough said metering valve seat and said metering valve will be freefor movement to close said metering valve, whereby dispensing flow ofliquid, cleaning movement of said cleaning pin, and metering movement ofsaid metering valve are efiected simultaneously with the manual movementof said sealing valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,600,661 Kochner June 17, 1952 2,623,784 Christen Dec. 30, 19522,723,055 Beard Nov. 8, 1955

